West Bromwich Albion are gearing up for the play-offs after sealing their place in the top six with a goalless draw to Reading on Monday.

The Baggies sit fifth in the table with games against Rotherham and Derby on the horizon before the end of the season, with a play-off semi-final clash against Aston Villa now looking likely.

It has been a mixed season for the Midlands side who sacked manager Darren Moore last month and replaced him with caretaker boss James Shan.

Shan has won five of his eight matches in charge to ensure the Baggies' top-six finish, but it has now emerged that there has been another coaching re-shuffle at the Hawthorns.

Michael Appleton has been added to the club's backroom staff until the end of the season to help boost their promotion bid.

The club confirmed the news this morning via their Twitter channel:

The former Albion midfielder has previously held coaching roles at the club, so will already be familiar with his new surroundings.

Appleton has previously managed Portsmouth, Blackpool, Blackburn and Oxford United, while he was also Leicester City's caretaker manager for a brief stint in 2017.

The Verdict

This is a sound appointment from Albion, and gives them a boost in their play-off bid.

Appleton is highly experienced and it is a bonus that he already knows the club well.

However, I can't help but wonder why he wasn't appointed to this role sooner after Moore's departure.